A Cold Day in Royal Oak

I’ve always been the kind of person who likes to celebrate everything. I can always find an excuse to go out and do something fun! So, of course, I found a reason to drag Drew to Royal Oak (my favorite!) on one of the coldest days of the year…

Royal Oak has always been one of my favorite cities. It houses some of my favorite shops and restaurants and has the coolest vibe. That being said, it’s hard to go wrong food-wise, and I usually have a hard time deciding where to eat. But, because it was so cold and we didn’t want to walk around too much, we decided to head straight to one of our go-to spots.

Let me tell you, if you are a fan of seafood, you cannot go wrong with Lily’s. Their fish tacos are the best I’ve found, and trust me, I’ve looked around. I had been craving them for months, and they never disappoint.

Usually when Drew and I go out we end up splitting meals so that we can order something safe that we know we’ll like, and something new. That’s the best way to eat, as far as I’m concerned! So, with fish tacos being a must, we also ordered a triple grilled cheese sandwich. In case you’re wondering, the triple cheeses were cheddar, swiss and mozzarella, complemented with tomato, red onion and lots of flavorful pesto on thick texas toast. This sandwich is a game-changer.

Another fun thing about Lily’s is the industrial/nautical decor. My family is really into metal sculptures, and Lily’s has some very cool pieces.

After lunch, I was determined to check out some of my favorite shops. It was so cold that we ended up stopping in just about every open store, just to warm up! Nevertheless, we persisted. The first shop that we stopped in (and my personal favorite) was Rail & Anchor. Thankfully, they offer you a cup of hot, fresh, tea when you walk in the door, which we happily accepted.

I’ve bought multiple birthday gifts here in the past, as well as small trinkets for myself, and I always find the cutest things! They sell all sorts of interesting odds and ends, from candles to wall art, to coffee table books, jewelry and mugs (all with fun, quirky designs). If you’re looking for unique and visually appealing home decor, you’ve found the spot.

One of my favorite things at Rail & Anchor is their collection of vintage inspired prints. I’d been eyeing this French dog one for quite some time, and I finally decide to take the plunge and buy it. I haven’t figured out where to hang it yet, but just looking at it makes me super happy.

Another really fun spot in royal oak is Scout. They have a similar range of home decor products, but with a 1970’s twist. Every time I walk into this store, it feels like I’ve stepped out of a time machine. I won’t lie, I’ve been tempted to purchase one of their disco balls, and a gilded bar set. This store is so colorful, and pretty much guaranteed to make you smile. There’s also a very cute, vintage-feeling children’s section in the back for all the kids in your life.

The last store (or gallery really) that I like to scope out is The Space Detroit. This gallery is always really intriguing and featured design and art pieces from the mid 20th venture to present. Though most of these pieces are very much out of my price range, I still love to look around and collect inspiration. Something about this gallery makes me excited for the future, and a chance to start my own collection.

We ended our trip with one last favorite: Atomic Coffee. Atomic Coffee is a locally owned & operated coffee shop in Royal Oak, with amazing coffee. I’ve only recently started drinking coffee myself, and only on occasion, but I really enjoy true hand-crafted brews. If you’re not a huge coffee fan, I also recommend their chai latte, which is nice and sweet (my usual drink of choice). Either way, the atmosphere is a good enough reason to stop by if you ask me. It was the perfect way to warm up and end this bitterly cold day.